Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2015
313. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the conditions necessary to qualify for a period of paid training; the way time-in-attendance for unpaid training, including voluntary unpaid training, is recorded; the requirement for each category, in time figures, for the individual reservist to fulfil annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8188/15]
View answerAll effective Reserve Defence Force (RDF) personnel are entitled to attend periods of full time training.
The criteria for effectiveness are set out in Defence Forces Regulations (DFR R5). Attendance at RDF training is recorded on the Time and Attendance Module of the Personnel Management System (PMS). The Time and Attendance Module does not specifically record whether attendance at RDF training was paid or unpaid. The status of attendance as paid or unpaid training is recorded at Unit level.
The criteria for effectiveness, including attendance at training are currently being reviewed in line with the recommendation made in the Value for Money Review (VFM) Review of the RDF. DFR R5 will be updated in due course to reflect any changes in these criteria. In the interim, indicative attendance requirements for 2015 were set out in Administrative Order 01/2013, “Implementation of the Defence Forces Reorganisation Plan Reserve Defence Force (RDF), 2012-2013”. In this context, the indicative attendance requirements for individual reservists for 2015 are a total of 48 hours paid/unpaid training and a minimum of 12 hours voluntary unpaid experiential training.
